Car-coupling



(N9 Model.)

B. s. &'J. WHEELER;

CAR COUPLING.

Patented Jan. 1, 1884.

N ETERs, Pholn-Uthognphcr. Washington. n40

. UNITED STATES PATENT omen} R-ANSOM s. WHEELER AND JAMES WHEELER, or RFD OAK, MISSGURT.

CAR-COUPLING.

$PECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,446,'da.ted January ll, 1884.-

Application filed June 23, 188:3. (No model.)

[0 at whom itJnag conccrn:

Be it known that we, RANSOM S.WHEELER and JAMESWHEELER, citizens of the United States, residing at Red Oak, in the county of Lawrence and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar- Couplings, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in car-couplersot' the class having a swinging pin or link and fastener, the object of the invention being to provide an automatic coup ling device which shall be stronger and. more durable than those heretofore used. r

In the constructions i heretofore 'used the part which holds the link in the draw-head has been so constructed and related to the other parts that the strain and draft are exerted directlyupon the hinge or pivot. In order to be properly adjusted, the hinge or pivot must be comparatively slight, and therefore, it the coupling devices are durable ,they must be so arranged that no strain shall be exerted upon the link or pivot.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the coupler embodying our improvements. I Fig. 2 is a perspective of the pivoted portion detached. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line a at, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the drawhead, and Fig. 5 a rear view of the de tent.

In the drawings, A A represent the drawhead, it being preferably formed by cutting it in two halves, they being separable on the central vertical plane. When cast in this way,

they can be formed very easily and cheaply,

and can be afterward firmly joined together by means of through-bolts, as at a a. However, we do not wish to be limited to this method of constructing the draw-head, as the other features of our invention can be applied to it,re-

. gardless of the method followed in casting or forming it.

. The mouth of the drawhead is preferably square in vertical cross-section at the outer end and horizontally elongated in vertical cross-section at the inner end, the top, bottom, and sides of the mouth converging inwardly to the vertical plane indicated by b, at which part they are extended inwardly,

preferably substantially parallel, so as to form a chamber, 0.

to be set forth, and on the front side ofthe aperture there are strong shoulders or abutments d I D is a slotted or elongated aperture communicating with the aperture D, and extending toward the end ofthe draw-head. Preferably it is constructed. as shown in Figs. 1 and 3*- that is to say, narrower in horizontal crosssection than the aperture D, there being walls d upon the sides of the slot D, or extensions of the shoulders or abntments (Z The top of the draw-head is recessed in the vertical plane of the aperture D-that is to say, the walls (1 do not extend to the topof the draw-head,but are cut away, the recessed part extending forward to the flange a,around the mouth of the draw-head, as shown at d.

In the bottom of the chamber 0 there is formed a recess, E, having shoulders or abut ments e an inclined wall, c in front of the shoulders, and inclined walls 6 on the rear side. The swinging part consists of apin proper, a strengthening and guiding web, and

a forwardly-projecting arm, by which thepin is pivoted in proper position.

The forwardly-pro ecti ng arm is rep resented by F, which is throughout its main portion of such thickness as to fill the recess cl, so that the top of the pivoted part, when in its lowest position, is flush or level with the top of the draw-head. i

F represents the pin proper, or that part which engages directly with the link. This .is of considerable width and thickness, so as to have sufficient strength. It is, however, braced and strengthened by means of thejweb or guiding part F which is adapted to pass with sufficient freedom through the slot D,

the pin F being, when the parts are in oper ative position, in the aperture D. At the forward end of the arm F there is an eye, by which the pin is pivoted or hinged between two ears, (6 a'-,there being a pivot-pimG, pass ing through the ears.

Unlike previous constructions, ours has the parts so constructed and arranged that there is practically no strain whatever exerted upon the inclined wall 6-.

, prevent any sagging or bending of the pin, and to totally relieve the swinging part of any the pivot, the shoulders or abutments d be ing so situated that when the pin is engaged with the link the pin portion F rests against said shoulders d As a result, the pin itself is braced, and a strain or draft is not exerted upon the pin G. The width of the slot and the inclinations of the walls (1 are such that the lower end of the pin F cannot swing entirely away from the draw-head, but are such as to permit it to swing up far enough to allow the coupling-link free access to the chamber 0. Therefore, although, as said, free access is permitted when desirable, there will not, under ordinary circumstances, be any'liability for the pin to be thrown up to such an extent as to permit the escape of the coupling-link. The forward edge,f,of the web or guiding part F is inclined downwardly and backwardly. YVhen the end of a link enters the draw-head it'strikes this inclined edge and throws this swinging part up upon the pivot G. Vhen it falls back, the inclined edge rests against The bottom recess, E, and the lower part of the pin proper bear against the shoulders 0", these operating, in conjunction with the upper shoulders, (1 to strain,

11 representsa lifter, preferably loosely con-' n'ected to the top of the pivoted bar or arm F, and by means of it the brakeman can lift the pin when it is desiredto uncouple the car.

What we claim isl 1 The herein-described coupling device, having the drawhead formed with the outwardly-flaring mouth, the chamber 0 at the inner end of the mouth, the aperture D, extending from said chamber to the top, the slot D, the recess (1*, the abutments (P, in combination with the vertically-swinging link-fastener, having the engaging part F, the web F", arranged to have the engaging part F bear against the said abutments (1?, the arm F, pivoted at its forward end to the top of the drawhead, and arranged to rest within the recess d, substantially as set forth.

' 2. The combination of the draw-head hav-- ing the inwardly-contracting mouth, the chamher 0 at theinner end of the mouth, the aperture D, extending from said chamber to the top, and formed with an inner inclined wall, d, and with an abutment or shoulder, d at its front side, and the vertically-swinging link-fastener, hav'ing'the arm F' pivoted at its forward end, and the pin portion or engaging part F,whieh bears against the shoutders d, and which,when rising, strikes against the said inclined wall d, substantially as and for the purposes'set forth.-

3. The combination of the draw-head havthe chamber G, the recess E in the bottom thereof, the shoulders 6 the aperture D, extending from the chamber 0 to the top of the draw-head, the shoulders or abutments d at the front of said aperture,- and the link fastener, having the arm F pivoted at its for ward end, and thepin portion or engaging part F, which is situated in the aperture, and

which, when engaging with the link, is situ-- ated across the chamber 0, and bears against the lower shoulders or abutments, e, and the upper shoulders or ab'utmentsc'f, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination of the draw-head having the chamber 0, the recess E in the bot: tom of said chamber, having the inclined wall 6, the shoulders (1 the aperture D, extending from the chamber 0 to the top of the drawhead, the shoulders or abutments d", the slot D, the recess 01*, and the fastening device having the web F, with a front inclined edge, f,

adapted to lie in proximity to the wall 6, the

arm F, pivoted at its forward end, and thep'i'n' portion or engagiiig part F, wider than the web F and adapted to bear against the shoulders or abutments cl and 6, substantially as set forth. I

In testimony whereof we our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

RANSOM S. XVHEELE-R. JAMES WVHEELEB.

XVitnesses:

JOHN HUGHS, J. T. WILLIAMs. 

